The most ingrained beliefs come from our childhood. From the things we heard at an early age, from the corrections we were given and from the behaviours we saw in our power figures, mother, father, grandparents or caregivers within our environment. Most of our habits and actions are programmed by our beliefs which are thoughts that we have subconsciously entrenched and take as true.
Changing a belief or opinion about something is not easy, especially at an advanced age.
What did you once strongly believe in but no longer do? What made you change your mind?
Since I was a child, I always heard my father say that you have to work very hard to get money. For my dad the synonym for money was work, effort, sacrifice, sweat, and to these phrases he also added sayings like ‘the rich are numbered’ and ‘money doesn't grow on trees’. All my beliefs about money come from him because he was also the biggest benefactor of the family, so I practically took him for a true law.
This belief has led me to have a very poor relationship with the energy of money, and many times if I find a good job where I don't literally sweat I feel that it is not good and that I don't deserve such an incentive or payment for my services, but for some time now I have dedicated myself to analyse my own belief and confirm that it was false.
Belief changes are painful for the most part and mine was like that, I had to see my father struggle a lot and have nothing, work until exhaustion just for the basic necessities and more so when you live in an inflationary economy with a country like Venezuela in hyperinflation. Currently my dad, 71 years old, is still working as an industrial mechanic, his income is very low for the responsibility and experience he has, and every time he feels depressed and sad, the only thing that keeps him there is that he works his passion and thank God he is a healthy man.
Seeing my dad sad every time he gets paid his salary, disappointed and wanting to quit makes me feel bad, maybe you think that a person of that age should not work and if I had the means I would not want him to do it, but the reality is that my dad will always have obligations with his special son who takes very expensive medication and it is very important for him to contribute something even if it is little.
I am not blaming my father for his own beliefs, his best example was being a hard-working and responsible person, I love him for that, but it is my duty to do things differently, times are different and relationships with money have changed.
So the belief that to work a lot is to have a lot of money is false, now I know that we only have to work intelligently, managing our time in the best possible way, seeking a balance for sport, family, education, recreation, this will give us the harmony to be happy.
This is my response to Hive Naija Weekly Prompt | Edition 82
